白磁は、陶磁器とつきあい始めるにはまずここから、という、食卓の器としてもっとも基本的な存在だ。基本だからといって、凡庸だったり退屈だったりするわけではない。使い手の想像力を最大限に引き出してくれる、まるで描かれる前のキャンバスのような、ちょっと手強い器なのだ。

　「墨に五彩あり」という言い方があるように、水墨画は墨一色で万物を表現しようとするが、白にも無限の階調がある。釉薬が微量の鉄分を含み、かつ還元焼成されることでうっすらと青みを帯びた、青白磁・影青（いんちん）と呼ばれる白磁から、燃料に炭を使うことから、象牙と似た黄色みを帯びる宋代・定窯の白、柔らかな翳りを含んだ李朝の白、ヨーグルトを思わせるオランダ・デルフト陶器のぽってりと健康的な白。そして積層する白の厚みを感じさせるマットさ、硬質な透明感を引き出す滑らかさ、と千差万別の白の質感は、太宰治が『津軽』の冒頭で挙げた、こな雪、つぶ雪、わた雪、みず雪、かた雪、ざらめ雪、こおり雪──という、雪のさまざまな姿とも似ているかもしれない。

　そんな白の器の中から、猛暑のほてりを冷ましてくれる、セミマットな白磁の皿を選んでみた。載せた菓子は京都・亀屋則克の〈浜土産（はまづと）〉だ。つややかな蛤の貝殻を開くと、涼しげな寒天製の琥珀羹（こはくかん）の中に、どこか真珠を連想させる味噌風味の浜納豆が一粒、抱き込まれている。この時期にだけつくられる、甘さと塩辛さが不思議に調和した、目でも存分に涼味を味わえる菓子。アイスやシャーベットもいいけれど、油照りの昼下がり、蛤の殻を匙代わりに冷やした琥珀羹を味わいながら、遠い海に思いを馳せるのも一興だ。

In its association with ceramics, the most basic and indispensable appearance of white porcelain manifests itself in table dishes. However, the fact that it is basic does not mean it is mediocre or boring. A white porcelain vessel, with its somewhat sturdy feeling, is like a canvas before it is painted on, tugging on the deepest creative impulses of its user.

Just as the well-known saying refers to the “five colors of India ink,” ink painting attempts to represent a myriad of subjects with a single color of ink, but the color white also has a limitless number of tones, from the white porcelain known as “blue-white porcelain” or “Yingqing,” given its slight tinge of blue by the trace amounts of iron in its glaze and its reduction firing process, to the Ding Yao white of the Song Dynasty, given its ivory-like yellow tinge by the charcoal used in its kiln fire, Yi Dynasty white, with its faint cloudiness, the healthy white of Dutch Delftware, reminding one of yogurt. And the layered mattes that evoke a sense of thickness, the smoothness that gives a feeling of transparency, and the myriad of senses of white─described in the beginning of Osamu Dazai’s “Tsugaru” as “powder snow, grain snow, flake snow, water snow, crusty snow, crystal snow and ice snow”─may indeed resemble various types of snow.

From these white bowls and dishes, I chose a semimatte white porcelain plate. On it, I served the traditional sweet known as “Hamazuto” from Kameya Norikatsu in Kyoto. Upon opening the glossy clam shell that encases the treat, one discovers a single bean of miso-flavored hama natto encased like a pearl in cool amber agar gelatin. Only made during this time of year, this sweet has a mysterious mixture of sweet and salty flavors, and even its appearance is “cool” to the eye. While treats like ice cream and sherbet are nice as well, there is nothing quite like tasting the cool gelatin on a muggy afternoon, using the clam shell as a spoon and contemplating the distant sea.